Hand luggage case



Nov. 15, ygss. A LEVEN 52,136,553

HAND LUGGAGE CASE Filed Feb'.- 1o, 195e 5 sheets-sheet 1 1N VENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

NOV. 15, A' 1 LEVIEN HAND LUGGAGE CASE Filed Feb. 10, 1956 A 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV ENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Nov.. 15, 1938.. A. u. LEVIEN HAND LUGGAGE CASE Filed Feb. `1o, 195e 5 sheets-snee; 5

INVENTOR.

Patented Nov. 15, 1938 lUNITED STATES HANDl LUGGAGE CASE Alvin I. Levien, South Orange, N. J., assignor to K. Kaufmann & Co., Inc., a. corporation of New Jersey Application February 10, 1936, Serial No. 63,103

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements` in hand carried luggage cases; and the invention has refer-ence more particularly to that type of luggage case having an extensible folded garment retain- `ying frame adapted to support garments in neatly and smoothly folded condition within a separate section or compartment of the case.

This invention has for its principal object to provide, in combination with a hand carried lug-v gage case, a novel construction of extensible garment folding and supporting frame, so devised and arranged that it may be folded, with the garments supported thereby, into the cover section of the case; and, when the case is opened, may

l5A be extended outwardly from said cover section across the open body of the case, with a portion thereof, from which the garments are suspended, upstanding from and outwardly offset in overhanging relation to the front end of th-e case 20. body, so that the garments hang downwardly therefrom wholly exteriorly and in front of the case, and subject to selective removal and replacement thereon at will.

The invention has for a further object to provide in connection with an upstanding secondary frame means, comprising pivotally interconnected parallel bars foldably related to a main frame means and carrying a garment supporting rack having a plurality of individual garment suspending rods, said rack being supported at the upper free ends of said parallel bars in such manner that the same automatically folds substantially into the plane of the supporting frame structure as a whole, when the latter is folded into the case cover section, but is automatically extended in a. horizontal plane when the supporting frame structure is extended and unfolded.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will become 40 apparent in the following detailed description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a hand luggage case equipped with the novel extensible garment folding and supporting frame; this view showing the interior appearance of the case when frame and garments are packed into the cover section thereof and covered by a protective curtain closure.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the luggage case in open condition, with the garment folding and supporting frame according to this invention folded into the case cover section.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the luggage case in open condition, with the main frame means down swung into outwardly extended relation to the cover section and in supported relation across the open case body, but with the auxiliary frame means still in folded relation to said main frame means.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the frame structure as disposed in Fig. 3, but showing by broken lines the unfolding and erecting movement of the auxiliary frame.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the luggage case in open condition, with the frame structure completely extended to suspend the garments carried thereby outwardly of the front of the case body.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the garment suspension rack portion of the frame structure. l

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the means for stopping the secondary frame means in its unfolded extended and erected position.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the herein above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character I indicates the main body section of a hand luggage case and I I indicates the cov-er section thereof, which is pivotally hinged thereto in any suitable manner so as to open and close relative to said main body section. The main body section Ill` is provided with the customary carrying handle I2, and cooperative locking elements I3 are connected with said body and cover sections to secure the latter in closed relation to the former. Collapsible stay devices I4 are also interconnected between the body and cover sections to hold the latter in upright open relation to the former when desired.

Pivotally connected at I to the interior of the sides of cover section Il, adjacent to the rear end thereof, which is pivotally hinged to the rear end of body section IIJ, is a main or primary frame means comprising side arms I6 interconnected by a transverse bar I6 extending therebetween at a suitable location intermediate the inner and outer ends thereof. Said primary frame is adapted to swing downwardly and outwardly from the interior of said cover section I I to extend over the open body section I0. Pivotally connected with said side arms I6, at points somewhat inwardly or rearwardly spaced from the free extremities thereof is an extensible footing frame member I1 having sid-e pieces I8, the extremities of the latter providing the points of pivotal connection of said footing frame member with said main or primary frame means. Said footing frame member I1 is adapted to fold about its pivotal connection inwardly against the main or primary frame, when the frame structure is to be closed (as shown in Fig. 2) but is adapted to be outwardly turned and projected from said main or primary frame side arms I6 when the frame structure is opened out (as shown in Figs. 3

and 5l). The outswung or unfolding movementl of said footing frame member Il is limited by engagement of its side pieces I8 with stop projections I9 carried by said main or primary frame side arms I6 in outwardly spaced relation to the pivotal connection of said side pieces I8 therewith. W'hen said footing frame member `I'I isvout swung to its stopped outwardly projected relation to said main or primary frame side arms I6, it is disposed to engage the top margin of the front wall of the case body section lll, thereby serving as a footing or support adaptedfto hold the framey structure in extended position over the top of said case body section when the frame structure is out swung from cover section l (see Figs. 3, 4 and 5).

Pivotally connected` with the free end portion of said primary frame means is a secondary frame means, the same comprising pairs of parallel side bars, the members 20 and 2l constituting each pair thereof being pivotally connected respectively to the free end portions of primary frame side arms i8 at spaced points 22 and 23, said members 2G and 2l being pivotally interlinked by link pieces .2-1 connected to extend therebetween adjacent to their similarly spaced free end portions. By this arrangement said parallel side bars EG-Z may swing relative to the primary frame into folded relation thereto (as shown in Figs. 2 and 3), or may be unfolded to upstanding and somewhat forwardly inclined relation to said main frame, when the latter, with its footing frame member t? extended is` swung out of case cover section ii to a position of rest extending over the open case body l (as shown in Figs. 4 and 5). To limit the upstancling and forwardly inclined position of said parallel side bars, when the secondary frame is erected, the pivoted ends of side bars 0 are provided beyond the pivot point with outwardly and laterally projected stop members 25, which, by engageemnt with the under edges of main frame side bars IG, arrest the outswinging movement of said secondary frame (see Fig. '7). Said secondary frame is stiffened by means of a transverse bar 26 which is secured to and extends between the side bars 2] adjacent to the outer end portions thereof. Also connected to and between said side bars 20, adjacent to the pi'voted ends thereof, is a transverse folder bar E?, which is preferably of circular cross-sectional conformation.

`Pivotally connected in a detachable relation to and between the free end portions of the pairs of parallel side bars 2li-2i of the secondary frame means is a rack member. This rack member comprises side pieces 223, having at their rear ends laterally projecting lugs 29. Extending between and suitably secured to the lugs 29 is a transverse back plate 3E). Said side pieces 28 are each provided with a series of spaced perforations 3| to detachably receive the pivot studs 32 which are affixed to and project laterally from the free end portions of said secondary frame parallel side bars 2li-2t Secured to and projecting forwardly from said back plate Si) are hanger supporting bracket arms 33, having hingedly connected at 34 with their free ends extensible portions 35. Connected with the free end of one extensible portion is one end of a tie-means 36, the opposite end of which is detachably connectible with the free end of the other of said extensible portions, when said extensible portions are inwardly and transversely folded parallel to the front of the rack means. The'reference character 3l' indicates the removable garment suspension bars of said rack means. Each such bar is provided at its respective ends with hook-like extensions 38 adapted to be respectively engaged over said bracket arms 33 to bridge and support said suspension bars 31 therebetween. Said hooklike extensions 38 are provided at their extremities with stop projections 39, which, when the rods are pushed rearwardly upon the bracket arms toward the rack back plate 30, pass beneath keeper lips @d which spring from and overhang the upper marginal portions of said rack side pieces 28 (see Fig. 6).

in the use of the case, preparatory to packing garments therein, the main frame IE-I6 is swung outwardly and the footing frame member I'i-ill is extended so as to engage over and rest upon the forward wall of the open case body section lil, thus disposing and supporting said main frame in a substantially horizontal position across said body section I 0. The secondary frame comprising the parallel side bars 2li- 2L is next swung about its pivotal connections 22-23 with the main frame side bars i6, thereby moving the same upwardly and outwardly until stopped by the engagement of stop members 25 with said side members i6, thus disposing said secondary frame in erected or upstanding position and somewhat forwardly inclined beyond or overhanging the front of said body section i9. Such movement of secondary frame disposes the rack means carried at its free end in a horizontal position. The described completely open or unfolded disposition ol` the frame structure is shown in Fig. 5. When the frame structure is thus disposed the tie means 35 is released and the bracket arm extensible portions 35 are swung outwardly into longitudinally aligned relation to the bracket arms (as shown by broken lines` in Fig. 5). The garment suspension bars 3'! may now be Outwardly slid onto said extensible portions 35, thus removing the stop projections 39 thereof from beneath the keeper lips 46 of the rack side pieces and consequently said bars may be removed for the draping of garments thereover and then remounted on the rack bracket arm means with the applied garment suspended therefrom. By the described arrangement of rack means it will aiso be obvious that the bars are individually and selectively removable and replaceable with the garments supported thereby, so that given garments may be removed without necessity of first removing or disturbing other garments, and the order of garment arrangement may be attained according to desire. It will also be obvious that with the case resting upon a table, dresser or like support, the garments will hang freely and smoothly from the rack in a position of most convenient accessibility both for selective removal and for packing.

When the garments desired to be packed have been suspended on the bars 3? and the latter mounted on the rack, said bars are thereupon pushed inwardly along the extended bracket arms until the stop projections engage under the keeper lips lil of the rack side pieces 28, thus securing the bars against displacement both during manipulation of the frame structure and after the same is folded into the case cover section H. To f the keeper lips Gil, the extensible portions 35 are turned angularly across the outermost garment, and then coupled for retention in such position by interconnecting the tie means 36 between the extremities thereof (as shown by full lines in 1ther retain the bars against escape from F Y latter (see Figs. 2, 3 and 4).

Fig. 5). This having been done, the frame structure with the applied garments is ready to be folded and secured within the case cover section Il. In folding manipulation of the frame structure, the secondary frame, comprising the parallel side bars ZIJ- 2l is first folded downwardly and inwardly about is pivotal connections 22--23 and parallel to the main frame lli-I6. The inward swinging movement of the parallel side bars 2--2I because of their parallel relation and the double or spaced pivotal connection of the rack means to the free ends thereof, causes the side bars 20 and 2| to move laterally together and the pivotal connections of side bars 2l with the rack means to advance relative to the pivotal connections of side bars 20 with said rack means, whereby said rack means is automatically turned from a position or plane substantially transverse or at right angles to the plane of secondary frame to a position more or less parallel to the When secondary frame is thus infolded relative to main frame lli-I6', the garments will be draped over the folder bar 2l disposed adjacent to the pivotal connections between said main and secondary frames. The frame structure is now ready to be upswung into the interior of case cover section of swinging the main frame about its pivotal connection with said cover section. In doing this, the footing frame member Il is grasped and lifted with the main frame, being at the same time swung downwardly and inwardly about its pivotal connections with the latter to fold across' and against the outer side of the same and into substantially parallel plane therewith. As this takes place, the free end portions of the garments will fold over the fol-der bar 2l so as to depend therefrom in the plane of the frame structure. The side pieces I8 of said footing frame I1 are each provided with outwardly and laterally projecting headed latch studs 4|, which, as the folded frame structure is pushed, with the garments folded and supported thereon, into said case cover section Il, will be entered and engaged in releasable retaining latch devices 42 which are mounted in suitable locations on the interior side walls of said cover section, thus releasably locking the folded frame structure into said cover section. If desired, the garments, so supported, folded and packed within said cover section, may be covered by a curtain closure means 43 with which the latter is provided (as shown in Fig. 1). It will be obvious that miscellaneous articles may now be packed into the case body lll, whereupon the case may be closed and locked ready to be carried about by the user.

The rack means is, as above indicated, readily detachable from its pivoted supported relation to the free ends of secondary frame parallel bars 2li-2L As a consequence of this arrangement, the rack may be removed from the frame structure, especially with the garments supported thereby, so that the same and the garments may be taken from the case and .hung up in a closet or like. To facilitate such use, the extensions 35 are folded in garment positions as shown, and the tie-member 36 interconnected therebetween, whereupon said tie-member 3E may be used as suspension loop for hanging the rack upon a closet hook or the like, while at the same time, the closed and secured extensions will, under such circumstances, prevent any accidental displacement of the suspensions and garments supported thereby from the rack.

.It will be understood that various changes may be made in the above described constructions, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof as defined by the following claims. It is therefore intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:-

l. A garment supporting and folding frame structure for a luggage case having a body and cover hinged thereto comprising, a main frame pivotally connected to the cover adjacent to the hinge connection between said body and cover, a foldable footing frame extensible from the free end of said main frame when the latter is outswung from said cover, said footing frame being adapted when extended to rest on the front wall of said body to thereby support said main frame inextension over the open top of said body, a secondary frame having side members each comprising parallel side bars pivoted in; laterally spaced relation to the free end portions of said main frame sides, a transverse folder bar affixed to and between said secondary frame side members adjacent the pivotal connection thereof with said main frame, stop means for holding said secondary frame in unfolded upstanding relation to sai-d main frame when the latter is outswung in extension over the open top of said body, and

a garment suspension rack pivotally connected between the free end portions of said parallel side bars of said secondary frame, said rack being, by the action of said parallel side bars, automatically .disposed in a horizontal plane when said secondary frame is erected and automatically moved into a plane substantially parallel to said secondary frame when it is folded relative to said main frame.

2. In a garment supporting and folding frame as defined in claim 1, wherein said rack is detachably carried by the secondary frame and comprises side plates joined by a transverse back plate, laterally spaced bracket arms projecting forwardly from said back plate, dismountable garment suspension bars having hooked ends to engage said bracket arms, said rack side plates having lips along their inner faces, and said hooked ends of said suspension bars having terminal stop projections to engage under said side plate lips.

3. In a garment supporting and folding frame as dened in claim l, wherein said rack is detachably carried by the secondary frame and comprises side plates joined by a transverse back plate, laterally spaced bracket arms projecting forwardly from said back plate, dismountable garment suspension bars having means to engage said bracket arms, cooperative means between said rack side plates and said bars to prevent accidental displacement of said bars from said bracket arms, said bracket arms having extensible portions hingedly connected with their free ends, said extensible portions being foldable across the outer face of garments suspended from said bars when the latter are engaged with said bracket arms and rack side plates, and releasable means for joining the ends of said extensible portions when so folded.

ALVIN I. LEVIEN. 

